The modern world is pretty amazing, especially when it comes to technology and how much it can help when you are looking to simplify certain parts of your life. When you can find a way to make technology part of your work day — and actually benefit from it — that’s even better.
If, as an ESL teacher, you’re looking for some advice on the best ESL apps to help make your life simpler and your lessons easier, you’re in the right spot.
Here are some of the 8 best apps for ESL teachers that really will make a difference.
1. Class Dojo
To help you keep everything organized and accessible, Class Dojo is an ESL app that offers a series of forums that you can customize for each of your classes.
Each class has a separate, private forum. In this forum, your students can interact and enjoy an online culture. As the teacher, you can award points and digital stickers to students within the app.
There is also a private section of the app that allows for communication between you and your student as well as parents. Nice to have everything all in one app!
2. FluentU
Students absolutely love the idea of watching a video. It’s even better if it’s a video about things that they care about.
When you want to bump up engagement and help them to discover real English content that is relevant to speakers of all ages, FluentU is great for compiling it all together in one app. From news articles to funny cartoon videos, it’s all available here along with the listing of what level the English speakers should be at, and the number of words used.
This app is also great because it has an interactive game function where a student can tap on a word and see how it is used in a sentence with images. For those that need a little extra boost in vocabulary, it’s a great helping hand.
3. Kahoot!
Great for bringing out a healthy competitive edge, Kahoot! will help in the classroom whether you want to use this as everyone individually or in groups.
You create a quiz with a series of questions that you design, focused on the ESL lesson you just did. The students have to race each other to finish the quiz using their own mobile devices. You can display the results on the board.
4. English Listening and Speaking
If you want to encourage your students to get more immersed in the actual world of English, this app helps do that be putting together a series of resources that are focused on promoting English listening.
This ESL app is entirely focused on exposing students to English so that their comfort in a conversation will strengthen. This is great for those who specifically struggle in social conversation situations.
It can also be used in class or at home.
5. Speedy English Grammar Practice: Fun ESL Exercises
When you want to make grammar fun, this ESL app is a great trustworthy option that everyone can enjoy.
Great in the class or assigned as homework, this app will test each student on grammar exercises so that they can use games and their competitive sides to learn English.
When you are looking at refining their grammar skills in particular, game-based activities like in this app are a great option.
6. Memrise
Great for homework, this ESL app works by you designing an assignment with words and vocabulary that relates to your recent lesson, and then assigning it to your students.
This focuses on making learning fun and can be customized to each lesson as you want it to. It’s also great because students will move through the assignment at their own pace, assuring you that you aren’t moving anyone along too quickly or, on the other hand, holding anyone else back.
This is particularly helpful for new topics and grammar.
7. VIP Talk
If you, as an ESL teacher, want to test out your teaching skills or refine them, you may find that VIP Talk is great. You will work with students who are learning English and help them along however you see fit. You’ll also get paid for your time — the rate varies based on your experience — so this is great for when you are looking at adding a bit of extra income to your life. You can teach ESL your way.
8. The Talk List
If you are looking at working with adults and ESL, this ESL app will help you to interact with them one on one and get a feel for how they learn. This app doesn’t require experience, a degree, or even that you’re a native speaker. They just want you to work with anyone who wants to try speaking English.
If you teach kids ESL and want to try switching to adults, this is a great app to trust to help you try it out, to even to add to your ESL schedule. Another fun way to teach English in China.
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Figure Out Your ESL Routine
Everyone runs their classroom a little differently, and it can take some time to figure out what is going to work for you.
Whether you’re looking for a classroom management option, a student helper that uses games to enhance their English learning, or a mobile app that is going to be great for trying out ESL teaching on your own time while getting paid, there really is something for everyone. The goal is to figure out which one is going to work best for your ESL routine.
Test and Choose What’s Best For You!
Teaching ESL is a rewarding job and, regardless of how you decide to do it, you can add technology and apps into your schedule to make it easier and more engaging for everyone.
These are some of the best 8 apps for all of your needs, whatever they may be. You’ll be able to enjoy all of them to satisfy your comfort, practical and technological needs.
Now all that’s left is for you to determine which of these apps for English teachers is going to be best for you!
